Lost in the echo
by RickyH
Summary: This is the life story about an ex-special forces soldier Josh Paugh after the US had gone to shit by a viral outburst and how he and his 10 year old daughter sets out to find the people they care about and solve the mystery of the outburst.


**Title:** Lost in the echo

**Chapter 1**

**Fandom: **Last of us, Medal of honour and Deadliest Warrior

**Pairing: **Josh/Cataleya  
**Warning: **Contains violent images

**Rating:** M

**Author:** RickyH

**Summary: **This is the life story about an ex-special forces soldier Josh Paugh after the US had gone to shit by a viral outburst and how he and his 10 year old daughter sets out to find the people they care about and solve the mystery of the outburst.

**AN: So a lot of things inspired this fic:**

**The title was inspired by the song Lost in the echo by Linkin Park **

**As for Josh having a daughter was inspired by Last of us and Him being a Navy SEAL by Medal of Honour. **

**Disclaimer: **I do not own these people in any way possible! ,-_-,

**Happy Reading!**

**Chapter 1**

My name is Josh Paugh and this is my story:

I use to be a former Navy SEAL, 9 years ago I was taken out of active duty thanks to an injury I picked up on a mission in Iraq, I was supposed to return after 6 months but I never went back, I ended up opening a Kick-Boxing Dojo in California, visiting my little girl in DC whenever I got past my bitching ex-wife!

Problem is once you're a Soldier there's no turning back, your always on the list, 6 months ago the US went to shit, with the rest of the world following just days after.

To make a long story short, things got bad, like apocalypse bad and there for soldiers across the country were called in, Former or Rookie all forces were placed in different arias all across the country to clean up yet another government fuck up!

I was home the day I got the call from my old Commander telling me that I had about 15 minutes before a truck would be coming around to pick me up. When I got to my appointed aria I was shocked at what I saw.

The City was burning, people running all around, others were laying lifeless around with huge black leagues found all across there bodies and then there were some that was being rushed to the hospital but what really had me sick to the gut where the men and women taking on my team mates like they were savaged dogs!

These men and women to had black leagues spread across their bodies, don't get the wrong idea, this wasn't another bad Zombie movie, no these people all looked quite normal, all that made them different from me and my men was the fact that they wear spotted with the black leagues and that blood was coming from their mouth, ears or noses and that they were quite out of reality, all of them where screaming either in fear or in rage.

I recognized some of these symptoms, as a Navy SEAL I was trained for a possible Terrorist attack: black leagues and bleeding longs usually meant ANTHRAX but as for the bleeding in other parts of the body and the strange hostel behaviour was beyond my knowledge.

I had no idea what was happening, all we were told was that some terrorist attack had taken place in the Subways and that people had been infected with some kind of virus strain and that we were being sent in to eliminate the infected so that Quarantine could be set up until a cure could be found.

As I closed in to help one of my team mates I heard my Lieutenant order that 3 of my team members and I have to head into the buildings surrounding us and get rid of the infected. Knowing better than to ask questions I did so after saving the young rookie from a close encounter with death.

Inside the building it was as if an explosion had gone off inside, my sight was blinded by smoke and fire was spotted all through the arias.

"_News just in:"_ I heard the voice of the daily News presenter, and I looked over my shoulder to find her on a few TV screens in the window of a electrical shop, _"It has been confirmed that the outbreak has just been spread all across the country, DC was the firs this morning to be infected, followed by New York and now it has been announced that several other Cities have been hit_!"

"DC, Washington DC!" Was all I managed to take in from her little announcement; Right there and then I spun around leaving my team behind as I ran out of the building and got into the nearest open SUV left behind by FBI, I shifted into gear and shoved my foot down on the gas!

See at the time my little 10 year old daughter was living with my ex-wife and her new husband whom happened to be FBI and my first instinct was to go up to DC to find her, I knew that the airport was out off question as well as the Subways, so I had no choose, I was going to spend a day and 19 hours give or take in my pickup truck to get there, after I found out were my girlfriend Cataleya was, for she had left for New York about 2 days ago as the lead scantest at the DC Jeffersonian.

As I burst through my front door at my home in North Hollywood the phone had just gone over to voicemail.

"Josh! Josh baby are you there!" Cataleya's voice streamed desperately through the speakers and I jumped at the phone as our German Shepard named Rascal twirled moaning at my feet for attention, clearly he knew that something was wrong.

"Leya! Where are you are you okay!" I answered the phone as I scratched behind his big ears.

"Josh I'm fine, but you need to get out of California NOW! She announced in hysterical.

"What's going on babe?" I asked worried, "Were are you!"

"I'm still in New York, I'm about to get on a Jet back to Cali, Josh listen to me the virus outbreak is about to hit Los Angela's please, get out of there while you still can!" she begged.

"Babe, its already hear, the Navy had me out on the field for 3 hours , I came home to get a few stuff and you, I want to head up to DC." I explained in a rush as I run up the stars and shoved our bedroom door open with Rascal short on my heals.

"NO! Josh you can't go up there please, the virus is twice as bad up here!"

"Leya, she's my little lady! I have to go!"

"How will you even get there all the airports are shutting down, it's a 43 hour drive!"

"Meet me there, outside of town at that little guest house we liked so much," I suggested knowing that our chances where better if she staid where she was.

"I can't Josh, there sending me back for the data left behind in California, I don't have a chose." She said as I shoved a few clothes into my duffel bag and run down stairs to my weapon arsenal down in the basement.

"Are you suggesting I leave you behind completely?" I broke out in frustration.

"There setting up Quarantines, maybe we should try meeting up there?"

"No, trust me, Quarantine is a bad idea, your just a number in there, I'll never find you." I said as I shoved my PSD Rifle, Remington 870, Winchester Rifle and Saiga Shotgun into a second duffle bag along with their ammunition and a good old fashioned spotlight and a hand torch, with spear batteries. "Meet me in 4 days at Big Bear Lake, at our cabin from last year; you still remember where it's at, right?" I asked as I shoved a KA-Bar knife, Bowie knife into the bag as well and then I slipped my Barrett Pistol into the back of my military pants and my Ballistic knife into my right boot.

"Yes, but Josh I don't know…" She said with fear filling her voice.

"Trust me babe, there setting up Quarantine not too far from there the aria will be the safest place to be by far." I tried to comfort her.

"Okay and if you're not there in 4 days?"

"Are you alone?" I asked as I stepped back into the kitchen and grabbed my pickup trucks key.

"No, Urban is with me, he happened to be the FBI agent assigned to be my protector."

I sighed in relieve to know that my best friend Urban Edge was keeping an eye on her, at least with him I knew she would be save. "If I'm not there in 4 days you stay as long as Urban thinks it's save, as soon as that changes you move along, I promise you I won't stop till I find you!" and then the line went dead.

I cursed and toughest the Phone, causing it to smash into Pease's against the wall which made Rascal bark out load in protest.

Hoping that Cataleya and I could manage a second call later on I grabbed my cell phone as well as its charger, hoping that somewhere along the way I could charge it again, that is if the towers where still up and running, taking one last look at my home I locked the door and made a break for my Truck.

I shoved the bags into the back of my black double-cab GMC Sierra 2500 and whistled at Rascal which had him running over and jumping in to the back, onley to make his way over the bags and into the front to the passenger seat. Shaking my head at our beloved cyanine I opened the bags up, giving me better access at my weapons.

The next moment Rascal started growling, lips pooled back to reveal savage white teeth, "What, what is it boy?" I asked as reached for the Pistol in the back of my pans and turned around.

Next thing I knew I was shoved up against my Truck, my spine felt like it was being ripped from the mussel and I gasped in pain, the force was so bad it felt like I was hit with a baseball bat, but when I opened my eyes it was a man, a man with no baseball bat. Like the men and woman I had seen down town he was marked by the black leagues and he was screaming at me like a mad man:

"STAY, YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY YOU BASTERD!" he had screamed at me and he punched me with iron fist through the face.

Before I had the chance to react or for the man to get in a second blow in, Rascal was on him, I watched him take a big chunk of meat out of the man's arm onley to go at him again, the man was screaming as Rascal now had his teeth looked into the man's throat, blood was making a very vivid appearance as I scrambled to the side to get my Pistol I had dropped, I lost my balance as I raced my weapon making me fall into the back seat of the truck!

That's when I heard the painful bark of my dog and I shot up strait, I aimed and in a split second a shot filed the air and a second later I was looking down at the lifeless body of my attacker.

I leaned forward resting my palms on my knees taking a deep breath, it had been at least 9 years since I had shot a man, shore after the Navy I was in SWAT training for about 14 months before I opened the Dojo but I had no need to kill a man after my mission in Iraq.

With Rascal licking at my left hand I stroked my finger through his fur, "We'll aren't you just a little hero!" I said as I scratched behind his ears and then he barked at me happily, that's when I looked up to see at least 6 or 7 more infected folks heading our way, with this I took a strong hold on my Pistol and shut the door of the Truck. I fired off a few shots in their directions as Rascal and I made our way around the front of the truck and I was pretty shore I got at least 2 of them in the process.

As soon as Rascal had jumped in and over to the passenger seat I got in myself, starting the truck at once and then I floured it!

I had a hard time making my way out of LA the entire city had gone to shit in just a few hours, wild animals from Angeles National Forest where running free in the streets, cars had been abandoned right in the middle of now where, their doors left hanging open while some of them where bashed into other cars. Small shops and even skyscrapers where burning, soldiers trying to do their jobs where running all over trying to get rid of the infected, but the worst part was the screaming, everywhere I heard screams of fear and pain.

It took me about an hour and a half to get past all the mess; I had to run over at least 4 of the infected to keep them from getting on to my truck!

Too be honest I had seen a lot of crazy shit in my life as a soldier but this was over the top! I had never been so scared in my entire life, what had happened to these people why was onley a hand full of them dying, ANTHRAX was supposed to be lethal to all the infected and why the hell was some of them turning into violent raging hooligans, what kind of terrorist attack was this!? Was it just happening in the US?

Where was this attack to leave the rest of the human race? How did they plan to bring this to an end, was there even a cure and if there was how the hell did they plan to get it to the infected! Fuck a person can go crazy thinking about this…

Just as I was out of the lines of LA where the US Military was setting up a Border line in the hope to keep the infected with in the walls of the city, my gas-light turned on. I took a deep breath in relieve realizing how lucky I am to be wearing my uniform, for it had got me past the Border with not much more than an infected check point. With this I turned in at the gas station just a Mile further.

"Stay in the truck boy." I said to rascal as I stroked at his ears, he had calmed down since we had left the Border line with his tang hanging from his mouth as if he was the happiest dog in the world.

As I got out of the truck I cocked my weapon realizing that there was still activity in the shop.

"Shell I fill her up?"

I jumped around raising my weapon as I heard the words behind me.

"Wow!" an old man in a blue jumpsuit protested lifting his arms as he did. He was smeared with oil but he had no black leagues anywhere on his wrinkled sun kissed skin and he seemed saint enough, so I lowered my gun.

"It's okay kid, no infected here, my wife can help you with food supplies inside." He said lowering his arms as he rubbed the oil from his hands with a red cloth.

"You and your wife should get out of here while you still can sur." I said in warning as I reached for the gas-pump.

"I would have," the old timer began as he took the pump from my hands and stuck it into my truck, "But the government has offered my security if I kept the Station open for all you soldiers still driving around. So go on inside, let my wife give you what you need." He said smiling and then he turned from me still filling my truck.

Not in the mood to bicker with the old man I turned and run into the store where I found an old lady and a young girl of around 17 behind the counter. I nodded at them and made my way down the ail with my empty back pack. I shoved in a copal of caned dog food, water bottles and fast snacks and an energy drink or two into the bag and grabbed a pair of shades and a black bandana from the accessory's holder and made my way over to the counter which had the young girl rushing over.

"Hi!" she greeted excitedly with a light blush to her young cheeks.

"Hi" I said smiling lightly, "Do you cell maps?" I asked as I placed the pack onto the counter.

"Map?" the old lady questioned as she reached up and brought down a stack of plastic covered maps and mad her way over to the young girl and me, "Where you heading in this mess Darling?"

"DC Ma-dam…" I said as the young girl rang up the context of my bag.

"DC, that's a long drive and a dangerous one at that," The old woman said as she looked through the maps to find the one I was looking for, "What makes you think the people you're looking for up there is even still alive?" She asked sensually as she placed my map down at my bag."

"As the Father of a 10 year old girl I can't believe anything ells till I find her." I said as I reached into the back of my pocked for my wallet.

"Ah," the old woman nodded, "The love of a father, go on outside and get an extra container of gas, I'm not shore you'll find any other open Gas Stations along the way."

"But I haven't paid you yet…" I said frowning

"Darling, keep it, we won't be needing it, but you on the other hand might need it further on in your journey."

I couldn't believe it, so generous after the world had practically come to an end. "Thank you so much." I said as I zipped up my backpack and swung it over my shoulder, I fished up the map and gave the two women one last goodbye before I stepped back out back to my truck and the old man.

"It's a nice Cyanine fellow you have here." The old timer said where he was stroking Rascal through the open window.

"Yha, his the best." I said smiling and placed the backpack on the backseat. "Could I bother you for a couple of extra letters of gas?" I asked as I tied the bandana around my head and placed the shades over it.

"One step ahead of you boy," the old timer said smiling, "it's on the back of your truck, it's not much, but it will help you out in a tough spot."

"Thank you…" I knew the words didn't mean much these days, but it was all I had to offer.

"Hold on young man." The voice of the old timers wife stopped me in my tracks when I was about to get into my truck.

"Yes Ma-am?" I said looking up, to find her coming my way with a box, she kept walking and hinted for me to open the back door, so I did and she placed it behind my seat on the floor.

"It's not much but I gathered you up some dried fruits, Biltong and other long lasting products, you're going to need them along the way." She said smiling as she shut the door.

"Oh I couldn't possibly-"

"Oh tish-tosh!" she said waving my protest away, "you just find that little girl of yours and keep her save."

These people shore knew how to make a man feel bad, with a sigh I gave it one last shot, "I strongly sugest that you pack your family up and get to a save place, trust me when the shit hits the fan the government won't bother to make shore your save, you'll only be save as long as your needed, please."

The old timer spun an arm around his wife, "Thank you son, we'll take it into consideration."

_Yapp no doubt about it, stubborn as hell! _I thought as I just shook my head and shut my door once I was in the truck. "Take care folks…" I said as I shifted into gear under the rough of the engine and with that I took off managing one last wave at the young girl whom was looking at me through the shop window.

Please review!

Chapter 2 will be posted as soon as possible!


End file.
